Flue construction for kilns



y 1932- R. H. YOUNGMAN ET AL 1,369,000

FLUE CONSTRUCTION FOR KILNS Filed Aug. 14, 1950 wrrnsssas INVENTORS;

Patented July 26, 1932 UNITED. STATES PAT-EN'I? OFFICE ROBERT H. YOUNG-MAN AND ROBERT H. H. PIERCE, OF PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA rLun CONSTRUCTION ron KILNTS,

Application filed August 14, 1930. Serial No. 475,144.

This invention relates to periodic kilns for burning bricks, and like products, and more particularly to means installed in the bottoms thereof for storing and regulating the ,5: flow of hot gases beneath the floor of the kiln.

The principal object of the invention is to provide easily adjustable, accurately regulable means for controlling the flow of hot gases from holding compartments beneath 19 the kiln floor to the draw off fines.

Another object is to provide means for such regulation comprising easily movable separate damper members, so constructed and positioned that the movement of each one of such members will affect the flow of gases, regardless of the position of other similar members.

In our copending application Serial No. 219,136, filed September 12, 1927, we have described an improved bottom and fine construction for kilns of the periodic type, by means of which uniform heating throughout the kiln, quick heating, of the kiln bottom, and other kindred objects, are secured by storing hot gas beneath the floor in position to heat it, and providing means to regulate the drawing 03 of this stored gas beneath the floor at a speed and at places that maintain uniformity of heating of the floor, uniformity of a draft from the kiln to the flue, etc. The present invention is a specific improvement in the control means described in the said copending application.

Referring to the drawing, Fig. 1 is a vertical section through 'a kiln embodying the invention of'our prior application and showing the present improvement incorporated therein; Fig. 2 is an enlarged partial vertical section through a-portion of the kiln bottom as shown in Fig. 1; and Fig. 3 is a partial plan View of the kiln bottom with some of the floor tiles removed to show the special damper tiles of the present application.

The invention is illustrated as applied to a kiln structure having side walls 1, end walls 2, an arched roof 3, fire boxes 4, and'a door opening 7, arranged around a burning chamber 8. The kiln is illustrated as built from refractory materials as used in commercial practice at the present day. Details of the parts not specifically described will be readily understood by those skilled in the art, and do not constitute any part of this invention.

The kiln isbuilt upon a concrete foundation 10, upon which is laid fire brick 11, carrying special insulating brick 12, above which is a layer of highly refractory brick 13. See Fig. 2.

The flue system beneath the kiln floor comprises upper collecting and regulating flues or retarding spaces 20, directly beneath the floor of the chamber, and communicating with lower draw-ofi flues 19, which open into a suitable stack bus conduit.

' The kiln floor is supported by a plurality of walls or piers 14, extending longitudinally of the kiln, continuous throughout their length, and dividing the space below the bottom into a plurality of channels or passages, which in turn are divided horizontally into compartments 19 and 20.

The construction of the piers 14 is shown more in detail in Fig. 2. They are built from refractory material, such as brick, capable of withstanding the heat .of the gas that comes from the kiln. At an intermediate portion these piers have two successively widely projecting edges 16 and 17, forming supporting shelves on each side of each column. Above the shelf 17 the pier is of substantially the same size as below the ledge 16. At the top the piers carry an inverted T-shaped refractory block 2 p The ledges 17 are adapted to carry flat damper tiles 18 which horizontally divide the channels 15 into the lower stack communicating flues 19, and upper regulating or heat storage chambers 20.

The actual floor of the kiln is formed chiefly by riddle tiles 21 resting at each end in recesses in the sides of blocks 25. The upper faces of the tiles 21 are then the same level in contact a passage is provided whereby gases may be drawn off from the chamber 8 through the floor to the storage chambers 20.

The details of the floor construction will be v apparent from Figs. 2 and 3. 5 The damper tiles 18 rest freely on the ledges 17 on the piers 14:, and therefore may be moved toward or away from each other in order to increase or decrease the size of openings leading from the chambers 20 to the draw-01f passages 19. p c v The structure so far described is that of our copending application above referred to,

which has been found to be practical and' useful in operation. That arrangement, however, has the disadvantage that in order to increase or decrease the passages between the tiles 18 to regulate the flow of gases from chamber 20 to chamber 19, it is necessary to move all of the tiles 18.

For example, if one wishes to decrease the flow of gas from chamber 20 to chamber 19 by means of tiles 18 above, this is done by moving tiles 18 closer together. But obviously when one of the tiles 18 is moved towards its adjacent member in order to close the gap therebetween, the gap between the tile moved and the next adjacent tile on its other side is wider. Consequently in order to adjust the gas flow between passages 20 and 19, it has been necessary to move a large number of the tiles 18, or perhaps all of them. Since this is done by projecting a hook through the end of the opening 20, and individually moving each tile, the operation is somewhat difficult, and is wasteful of fuel and labor.

In the construction described herein we have materially facilitated this adjustment P by providing a plurality of supplementary shutter tiles 30, adapted to be seated upon the main damper tiles 18, and movable thereon. The special shutter tiles 30 are provided with projecting prongs 31 at one end, these projections being long enough normally to extend across the gap provided between the damper tiles 18 as usually arranged upon the ledges 17 The regulation of the passages connecting chambers 20 and 19 may be varied within certain limits by moving the supplementary shutter tiles 80, without disturbing the tiles 18. This is done by moving the tiles 30 forward, i. e. in the direction of extensions 31, or backward in reverse direction. The extensions are adapted to extend across the openings between tiles 18, and to have their tips seat upon the next adjacent tile 18, so that when force is applied to the rear of the tile 30 it may slide forward, riding upon two of the tiles 18 at all times. This prevents the tile 30 from toppling into the space between the tiles 18, as would be likely to occur if thle moving tile did not have support by two ti es 18.

As the shutter tiles 30 are advanced they shut off the opening 32 which normally exists between the tiles 18 upon which it is seated, and if the tile 30 is moved far enough the opening may be entirely closed.

By providing these supplementary shutter tiles 30 to control, for example, every second, third, or fourth space between tiles 18, the area of passages between chambers 20 and 19 may be varied as much as desired from full open to full closed status.

By moving say every second, third, or fourth one of the shutter tiles, and particu larly by'moving each one a portion of its possible restricting travel, a very fine adj ustment may be made with respect to the flow of gas from the upper to the lower chamber beneath the kiln floor.

We claim:

1. A kiln for burning bricks and like products, having an exhaust stack, continuous parallel passages extending across the kiln connected to the exhaust stack and formed by solid parallel walls beneath the floor, a floor structure supported on said walls comprising riddle tiles providing outlets therebetween for escape of hot gases, horizontally positioned spaced apart damper tiles dividing the space below said riddle tiles and forming retarding spaces or flues beneath the floor, the space below said damper tiles comprising secondary retarding spaces connected to the stack, and adjustable shutter tiles mounted on the damper tiles and each adapted to bridge the gap between two adjacent damper tiles, each of said shutter tiles being adapted when moved to control the passage between the two damper tiles by which it is suported.

2. A kiln for burning bricks and like products, having an exhaust stack, a floor structure made up of a series of pier walls leading to a bus stack flue and forming continuous parallel passages beneath the floor, riddle tiles forming a part of the floor surface and providing outlets therebetween for escape of hot gases, spaced apart damper tiles horizontally dividing the space between said piers below said riddle tiles and forming retarding spaces or flues beneath the riddle tiles, said damper tiles being supported by the said piers, the space below the damper tiles forming secondary retarding flues connected to the stack, and movable shutter tiles mounted on the damper tiles and each one adapted to bridge the gap between two adjacent damper tiles, each of said shutter tiles being adapted when moved to control the passage between the two damper tiles by which it is supported.

3. kiln for burning bricks and like products, having an exhaust stack, a floor structure made up of a series of piers forming open continuous parallel passages leading to a bus stack flue, floor tiles supported on said piers completing the floor surface and providing outlets therebetween for escape of hot gases, damper tiles dividing horizontal ly the space between said piers below said riddle tiles and forming retarding spaces or flues beneath the riddle tiles, said damper tiles being supported by ledges formed on the sides of the piers, the space below said damper tiles forming secondary retarding flues connected to the stack, and adjustable shutter tiles mounted on the damper tiles and adapted to bridge the gap between two adjacent damper tiles, each of said shutter tiles being adapted when moved to control the passage between the two damper tiles by which it is supported and having forwardly extending prongs adapted to bridge the gap between two damper tiles supporting the shutter tiles.

In testimony whereof we hereunto sign our names.

ROBERT H. YOUNGMAN. ROBERT H. H. PIERCE. 

